so...you have beer...and have to do something with it...and it's only monday....

LISA'S EASY BEER BREAD RECIPE>>>>>>> 3C self-rising flour>>>>>>> 1 can beer>>>>>>> mix>>>>>>> add cheese, if you want (dribs and drabs of whatever leftover cheese good here)>>>>>>> dump into pammed/greased 9x5 loaf pan>>>>>>> bake 350 for 50 minutes>>>>>>> let cool in pan>>>>>>> slice and enjoy toasted with butter or cheese or just crumble onto chili>>>>>>> also makes good muffins (easier to serve than slicing bread)>>>>>>> use whatever beer...old beer....that can/bottle that someone left at your house...that beer that you find in the back of the fridge from who knows what old celebration>>>>>>> can use soda instead of beer....ginger ale better than orange soda but any will work>>>>>>>

the good, the bad and the ugly about being with the same person for 30+ years

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE MARRIED FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS>>>>>>> I have been married to Joe, the LOML (to use Dedra’s favorite hashtag), for 30+ years. For those who envy that or wonder what that would be like, let me tell you this. >>>>>>> It’s not all easy and rosy, like the beginning of a love affair.>>>>>>> So, let me tell you what it is like to be married for years and years and years. And, to be efficient, I must number them.>>>>>>> 1. Being married to Joe since i was in my early 20’s means that I’ve never been to a restaurant by myself. Yes, i did go to Wendy’s twice (take-away) while on an educational week with my church but eating a baked potato, sitting on the bed in my dorm room doesn’t really make for a “gourmet dining experience”.>>>>>>> 2. I have never bought a movie ticket to see a movie alone....or even with friends. I have been to movies with Joe and with our kids but never without them.>>>>>>> 3. I have only traveled alone once (see: education week with my church) and it was lonely.>>>>>>> 4. If Joe is asleep or sick (like today), i can go the entire day without speaking. It’s that or talk to the cats (see: crazy cat lady).>>>>>>> 5. Joe chose our first home in Charlottesville,VA and has predominantly done so for the other homes that we’ve bought. I have never sought/negotiated a mortgage.>>>>>>> 6. I get up every morning, before Joe, do my quiet/alone yoga and have breakfast. I make his coffee. I make his breakfast. I go in and quietly, gently wake him up. Every morning. For 30+ years.>>>>>>> 7. He cannot make his own coffee...he has me.>>>>>>> 8. He doesn’t know how much cereal he has in the cupboard.>>>>>>> 9. He doesn’t know where in the supermarket to find his “favorite” cereal or which one that is (which brand do I like again?).>>>>>>> 10. He never has to refill the supply of coffee, milk, or cereal b/c he has me.>>>>>>> 11. He doesn’t have to wake up and wonder if it’s time to get up or just roll over and go back to sleep. If I don’t come in, he can lounge, laze, and go back to sleep. Without worry that he’ll be late to the gym.>>>>>>> 12. I have never known what our mortgage payment was, what we paid for houses or cars. I’ve never spent more than $500 on anything except his first iPod...$600 from my Mary Kay account. Every “big” purchase has been handled by Joe.>>>>>>> 13. I don’t speak Spanish and live in a country where Spanish is the national language. Joe does all the translating and interacting to “get things done”. I do “grocery and restaurant Spanish”...basically, i know the names of the foods/veg that i eat and can find those. Beyond that, I rely on him to do everything.>>>>>>> 14. I cook. He does the dishes after lunch/dinner. Every day. >>>>>>> 15. Joe hasn’t done a load of laundry since before we got married. I started doing our laundry before we got engaged in 1990 and have done so ever since. I wash it, hang it on the line, retrieve it, and fold it. He puts his away. >>>>>>> 16. Joe does all the finances. Always has. I’ve never balanced a checkbook, bought or sold a stock or fund, refinanced a house/mortgage, done anything with retirement accounts. >>>>>>> 17. I have never done anything to do with the IRS. He has done our taxes since we got together. Are we getting money back this year? Are we paying this year? Darned if i know!>>>>>>> 18. Joe doesn’t know where anything “goes” in the kitchen cabinets. He does the dishes but, if he empties the dish drainer, puts a stack of “orphans” on the counter for me to put away. We have lived here for 3+ years.>>>>>>> 19. Joe picks all the vacation spots that we’ve been to. Always has. After our many years together, he knows what i would like. I’ve never been on a bad vacation. >>>>>>> 20. I have no idea what my income was any year that i worked. I had automatic deposit and gave the paystubs/receipts to him when i received them. I didn’t manage my retirement withdrawals except to know that i put the maximum into retirement each year. >>>>>>> 21. Joe has no idea when it is time to flea-treat the cats, go to the dentist, get the house sprayed for bugs (necessary living in the tropics!).....my calendar takes care of all of that.>>>>>> 22. I maintain the house calendar to keep track of when the housekeeper is coming, when we are getting together with friends, which date is the doctor/dentist appointment and can we accommodate another appointment or is that day already booked?>>>>>>> 23. I have never sprayed a wasp/hornet nest, climbed up to empty gutters, cut down the big bunch of bananas in the tree or moved heavy furniture. Joe does all the he-man lifting.>>>>>>> 24. I have no nose so i changed the majority of the diapers (he had to do a couple with Alessandra when i was working the first year at night but rarely...never with Christian). And i empty the litter box...and always have. Puking kids? That would be my job too. >>>>>>> 25. Last, but not least, i never have to worry who i will have dinner with, play games with, travel with, and generally do all the fun things in my life. I live with my bestest friend...every day is like a playdate. >>>>>>>